Siri and co. help the visually impaired in smart homes

The blind and visually impaired have expressed fears at IFA 2016 that digitalization of the home could be to their disadvantage. At a symposium organized by the German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBSV), the organization’s President, Thomas Kahlisch, called for policy-makers to set “clear rules” so that manufacturers would guarantee accessibility in the development of their innovations. “We need to have this understanding in the German parliament.” However, he also praised industry efforts to make it possible to control household appliances via voice control facilities on modern smartphones.

Kahlisch’s statements met with strong approval from Brigitte Zypries (pictured), Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. During the symposium, she explained that manufacturers had at least partly recognized the challenges, and that they were using this to win over new target groups. Given our ageing society, and not just in Germany, this also opens up new export opportunities. The elderly are also reported to be willing to pay more for these additional benefits.

Thus, the connected home could minimize the dangers that ageing residents may otherwise face. “The stove can give a warning sound if you leave the kitchen without turning it off.” This could allow older people to stay in their own homes for longer. “Those who are dependent on such things will quickly recognize their value,” said Zypries, then making reference to “Wirtschaftsfaktor Alter” (Age: the economic factor), a national initiative with the support of many German federal and state ministers that promotes deeper consideration of older people in terms of their needs and as a target group.

Franz Müntefering: Technological progress must benefit everyone

Franz Müntefering cautiously moves his finger across the washing machine. He is exploring the machine’s surface to find the temperature settings. That is not so easy, because the former Chairman of the SPD and Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs is wearing dark glasses that mean he cannot see anything.

Müntefering has been the Chairman of the German National Association of Senior Citizens (BAGSO) since the end of 2015. It was in this capacity that he visited IFA 2016 on Tuesday, and together with Renate Reymann, President of the German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (DBSV), he was shown a number of new accessible products from companies including Miele, Samsung, Bosch, and Siemens.

The background to the special exhibition, ‘Usability and accessibility of home appliances and electronic devices’ at the BASGO and DBSV’s joint stand is that, as technology has advanced, an increasing number of home appliances and electronic devices are becoming unusable for the blind and visually impaired because sensor buttons, menus, and touchscreens rely solely on sight.

Miele W1 Classic washing machine caters to the needs of the visually impaired

The Miele W1 Classic has been specially adapted to the needs of people with visual impairments. A sticker which guides the user through the interface through touch and sound is on the front of the machine. The temperature buttons make sounds to indicate the setting, with a low pitch corresponding to a cooler washing cycle, and a higher pitch corresponding to a hotter one. The same applies to the revolutions on the spin cycle. Miele employee Susanne Wegener-Dreckmann, who is visually impaired herself, was part of the development process. “I wanted to finally have a machine which I could use completely by myself,” she says.

The special W1 Classic model will be launched in March 2017 for 799 euros. Franz Müntefering managed to master the controls on this washing machine very quickly, even with his eyes covered. “At first I had a massive feeling of helplessness,” he said. Sometimes he feels this way despite being able to see, for example in hotel baths. “Some showers have so many gadgets in them that I end up suddenly standing in ice-cold rain because I just can’t work it out,” the 76-year old confessed. “Consumer protection has to ensure that technical progress does not come at the expense of certain groups of people,” said Müntefering.

IFA+ Summit: Myon defies gravity

Gravity was a key consideration when designing Myon, the robot created by the Neurorobotics Research Laboratory (NRL) at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin. The robot is designed to consider gravity as he navigates his environment. Lab director Manfred Hild (pictured) showed how Myon deals with this in the first session on ‘Exponential Technologies’ at the IFA+ Summit 2016.

This creation, with its head moving around in a friendly fashion as its artificial eyes assess its surroundings, is able to speak, but this is of secondary importance. As a whole, Myon is able to stand up straight, walk, or sit down, and if he falls over, he can pick himself up again. His arms can hang down beside him or be used to balance out vibrations. The limbs act autonomously in their response to gravity. Myon has far fewer cables and therefore risk factors affecting his reliability than if he had to be controlled by a central computer. On top of this, each of his six body parts – the four limbs, the torso, and the head – can all move independently.

Myon boasts an impressive total of 32 degrees of freedom. “But that doesn’t mean that he already has all the capabilities he would need to, say, brush his teeth,” Hild adds. This requires a high degree of physical intelligence, “even if it doesn’t seem particularly intelligent to us.”

eBlocker protects and can save money

Christian Bennefeld’s mission is ambitious: “We want to give internet-users their privacy back.” This should be possible with the eBlocker, presented at IFA 2016. The eBlocker is a white cube that is connected to the router via an ethernet cable. Once it is configured, it can significantly reduce or prevent people spying on the user data of all the computers connected to the network.

The user can also block advertisements from appearing on their screen. Websites that would block a user in these circumstances, but still need to be accessed, can be unblocked via a whitelist. The eBlocker also blocks data collectors which create a user profile based on specific websites the user has visited. Side effect of the ad blocker: websites load faster because the time usually spent loading ads is removed. The user can also surf completely anonymously by hiding their IP address.

Finally, the eBlocker also allows ‘cloaking’, which allows the user to manipulate data on the type of computer being used (stationary, tablet, etc.) This allows the user to click one button to change the information sent to the site visited, for example to make it look like they were using a tablet rather than a stationary computer, or the other way around. This can change the pricing on some websites, such as travel portals. Bennefeld demonstrated this at IFA using an example video, which showed how the prices for luxury hotel rooms differed by 60 euros, depending on whether he was looking on a PC or tablet.

The eBlocker has an RRP of 219 euros. Those ordering during IFA 2016 can enter the coupon code ifa2016 to receive a 10% discount.

IFA TecWatch: Ultrafast scans using the 3D-scanner from Botspot

3D-scanners create virtual realities. Manfred Ostermeier from Berlin-based Botspot took to the IFA TecWatch podium to explain how they can do a lot more than just create a cute little mini-me. Botspot has developed an ultrafast 3D-scanner that can complete a scan in less than a second. This short response time means the results are especially devoid of motion blur. The ultrafast scanning is possible thanks to the 70 modified Canon cameras inside the scanner.

Botspot’s scanners are already used in various sectors, for example in museum archives or the production of video games and avatars. Manfred Ostermeier anticipates further applications in the automotive industry, for example to produce especially precise scans of tire treads.

Botspot is releasing a new scanner at the end of 2016. The company was founded in 2013 and would like to double its workforce from the current 20 to 40 by the end of the year. Visitors to IFA still have the opportunity take a look at the fast 3D scanner in Hall 11.1 until Wednesday 7 September, 2016.

IFA+ Summit: Multinationals can also be disruptive

Multinationals should break out of their structures to open the paths to new technologies. Florian Schwalbach, Head of Communications at Bayer AG, and Torsten Oelke, Founder and CEO of CUBE GmbH (pictured above), an organization that brings multinationals and startups together, were in agreement on the need for disruptive behavior even within traditional structures. In a discussion at the IFA+ Summit 2016 the two expressed optimism that this could succeed.

Schwalbach said it is crucial if a company wants to keep up with global developments. He says the involvement of external start-ups makes it possible to advantageously combine outside experience with the group’s own developments. His group has already been doing this for five years with the group’s own accelerator, Grants4Apps. Grants4Apps supports start-ups in finding ways to commercialize their ideas.

Oelke said that there is currently a ‘clash of cultures’ where traditional cultures meet with a culture of learning through failure. In addition to promoting the most innovative ideas, the focus in the second stage then also turns to stimulating cooperation with more ‘mature’ start-ups. Making this collaboration a reality is exactly what CUBE exists to do. One example he mentioned was a cooperation between a large logistics company and a Chinese startup that produces secure QR codes. But he also pointed out that all parties are still in an experimental stage and that the rate of return should not be the top priority of the various stakeholders.

Schwalbach highlighted an additional stage in the evolution of his company’s efforts to support potential new founders. “Bayer employees can now apply to Grants4Apps, too.”

Relaxing kayaking, exhilarating bungee jumps, or an exciting roller coaster ride: visitors to IFA 2016 can try out VR goggles on lots of different stands at IFA 2016. These show off the playful, fun side to virtual reality.

Nonny de la Peña, CEO of the Emblematic Group (pictured), goes one step further in her talk on ‘Mixed Reality’ at the IFA+ Summit: She would like to use virtual reality to enhance people’s empathy. Together with her team, she has initiated a project which combines virtual reality with classic journalism. These reconstruct crime scenes and battlefields in three dimensions. VR goggles like the Oculus Rift enable the viewer to experience events first hand.

George Bloom wants to break new ground. The Executive Producer of CBS Digital is thinking about how to adapt storytelling in films to virtual reality. “Every film has a victim, an enemy, and a hero. That won’t change. But with VR, recipients can decide for themselves from which perspective they want to view the film,” he explains. Film locations can also be recorded using a laser scan and then reconstructed in a 3D model. “This saves filmmakers phenomenal costs,” says Bloom.

The possibilities are numerous. “Virtual reality content will soon influence all areas of our lives,” says Prof. Dieter Gorny, Media Manager and President of the German Federal Music Industry Association. However, he points out: “The more virtual our world becomes, the more intensely we must engage with our global and social responsibilities.”

IFA+ Summit ‘Smart World’: Security and technology in the smart world

How can smart technologies be integrated into everyday life? What opportunities and risks do they bring with them? These and other questions were discussed at the IFA+ Summit on the smart world, which took place on Monday, 5 September 2016. Hannes Sjöblad (pictured), tech activist and co-founder of the Swedish biohacker collective BioNyfiken, gave a talk on “Near Body Technologies”. This refers to technology that is worn on or inside the body, for example hearing aids, prosthetics, pacemakers, or even chips that are transplanted under the skin and could be set to replace car keys or gym membership cards in the near future.

Prof. Dr. Manfred Hauswirth, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems (FOKUS), spoke about data networks as a basis for cities of the future. He sees data as the fuel that powers the engine that drives smart cities. He introduced various innovative data-based systems, some of which are already in use, including Katwarn, an alarm system that alerts people in Germany to catastrophes and major emergencies, and WindNODE, an energy information system designed to foster a closer connection between energy generation and consumers.

Security expert Mikko Hyppönen (pictured) from F-Secure demonstrated the risks of the smart home: the more electrical home appliances there are connected to the wifi network, the more vulnerable the system is. He therefore concludes: “The fight for privacy appears to have been lost.” Jon Troutman from Canary spoke about what makes a good smart home product. This includes ease of use, the user’s trust in the device’s features, and also the joy they experience in using it.